PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santiago Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Johnson
vs
Rivera

188 cm
23
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
201 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Santiago Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Leandro Rodrigues and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rivera shoots in but Johnson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.

Johnson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rivera is keeping the position for now.
Rivera will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is fighting to break Rivera's control of his arms but Rivera is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Rivera is keeping the position.
Johnson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rivera trying to control the position.

Rivera working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is fighting to break Rivera's control of his arms but Rivera is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Rivera has wrist control.
Rivera thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rivera pulls Johnson in to control the position.
Rivera's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rivera swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rivera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson is fighting to break Rivera's control of his arms but Rivera is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rivera is retaining full guard.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

Rivera is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rivera trying to control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rivera lands with a straight right. Johnson didn't see that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt

and Rivera counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rivera.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Rivera controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rivera is one step ahead there.
Johnson wants to hit a switch here but Rivera passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Johnson there!
Johnson regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Rivera dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rivera avoids a kick to the body.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rivera counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rivera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Rivera from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivera won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rivera controls the pace.

Rivera gets to his feet. Johnson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Rivera shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rivera prevents Johnson from improving his position.
Rivera thows a huge punch but Johnson dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Rivera drops an elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Rivera sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rivera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johnson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rivera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johnson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Santiago Rivera.
Rivera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rivera with a lazy takedown attempt

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.
Rivera using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Johnson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Rivera pulls guard successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rivera is retaining full guard.
Santiago Rivera has got the better of the ground game so far.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rivera works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson passes Rivera's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Johnson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Johnson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Rivera. Rivera gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Rivera counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Johnson!
Rivera content just to control the position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Rivera maintains control.
Rivera landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rivera looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rivera has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Johnson's face.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rivera tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Rivera content just to control the position here.
Rivera landing strikes from the mount and Johnson is in trouble!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rivera controlling the position easily from mount.
Rivera in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rivera controlling the position easily from mount.
Rivera fails to move to back control.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rivera trying to control but he's not successful this time.
John Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santiago Rivera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rivera controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santiago Rivera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rivera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santiago Rivera!